Information on everyday life

Chipmunks

Chipmunks are tough to hate. Not only are they among the cutest, furry little critters you see around these parts, they’re also among the most enjoyable to watch drama and hop around. However adorable, chipmunks may also be small trouble makers. They love to munch on seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, and even dig up plants to consume their roots, all which make lawns and gardens a prime goal this season.
If you’re having trouble with aggravation chipmunks, it might help to get familiar with a number of their common behaviors and habits so as to discover a solution to the problem. Keep on reading to find out some useful and interesting facts about chipmunks, including what you can do to put a stop to their devastation.
Interesting Chipmunk Truth
Technically, a chipmunk is a rodent, since they are a part of this Rodentia order. There are 25 known species of chipmunk, one of which isn’t native to North America. They generally dine on fruits, seeds, nuts, cultivated grains, vegetables, fungi, insects, arthropods (spiders, butterflies, scorpions, crustaceans, etc.), and sometimes even tiny amphibians such as tree frogs.
Chipmunks have large cheek pouches that they use to stuff full of food they find, they then bring it all back to their underground burrows in which they store their food for the winter. They mostly forage on the ground, but will also climb trees for acorns and fruit.
Were you aware that chipmunks are in fact loners? Although more than 1 chipmunk family can live in the same burrow, they travel independently and essentially ignore the rest of the chipmunks around them before mating season starts up again in spring. This is very good news for homeowners with a chipmunk infestation in the loft. Most often, it’s only one lone chipmunk, which does much less damage than an entire colony of squirrels. However, females may give birth to litters of 8 or more, so an infestation may be bigger if it’s a nursing female.
Chipmunks live in underground burrows that they dig themselves, which generally consist of an elaborate network of tunnels which could extend up to 11 feet in length. They keep their sleeping area clean, while maintaining waste and droppings in a different area. They fill their burrows up with as much food as possible in late summer and fall so as to have enough provisions for winter. Besides hibernation, chipmunks sleep an average of 15 hours per day, mainly because they don’t need to keep on alert for predators because they live underground.
Regrettably, chipmunks don’t live for a lengthy time. In the wild, their average lifespan is between two and three decades. In captivity, they can live a little longer, up to 6 or 7 years with rigorous owner commitment.
For those who have a nuisance wildlife problem, your best strategy would be to ask professional advice from a certified wildlife removal and control firm. They have the training, expertise, and knowledge to offer you helpful advice or support.